Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
  • F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
  • F24F13/00—Details common to, or for air-conditioning, air-humidification, ventilation or use of air currents for screening
  • F24F13/02—Ducting arrangements
  • F24F13/06—Outlets for directing or distributing air into rooms or spaces, e.g. ceiling air diffuser
  • F24F13/065—Outlets for directing or distributing air into rooms or spaces, e.g. ceiling air diffuser formed as cylindrical or spherical bodies which are rotatable
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60H—ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES
  • B60H1/00—Heating, cooling or ventilating [HVAC] devices
  • B60H1/34—Nozzles; Air-diffusers
  • B60H1/3414—Nozzles; Air-diffusers with means for adjusting the air stream direction
  • B60H1/3435—Nozzles; Air-diffusers with means for adjusting the air stream direction using only a pivoting frame
  • B60H1/3442—Nozzles; Air-diffusers with means for adjusting the air stream direction using only a pivoting frame the frame being spherical

Definitions

• the invention relates to an aerator for guiding a flow of air, for example air conditioning, by allowing the adjustment of the orientation and the flow rate of this flow in the manner desired by a user.
• Such an aerator is intended in particular for motor vehicles in which an air circulation circuit supplies aerators which transmit a stream of air having a direction and a flow rate chosen by the user.
• an air-flow orientation aerator which comprises a duct of airflow having, between an inlet and an outlet, a first section forming a convex chamber of progressively varying section, and a second section in the form of a spherical segment.
• a profiled body, housed in the chamber is connected by a rod to a ring in the shape of a spherical segment complementary to the spherical segment of the second section.
• the second section and the ring form a ball joint allowing transverse displacement of the profiled body in the chamber.
• the aerator described in this document implements the effect known as the "Coanda effect” according to which a guided flow between surfaces has a low pressure drop, and thus creates little noise, when the flow is attached. to these surfaces.
• This result is obtained in this aerator by using progressive curvature surfaces of the duct chamber and the outside of the body which is profiled.
• a swivel movement between the conduit and the profiled body allows the orientation of this profiled body; thus the flow of air, which circulates at the periphery of the profiled body, can be oriented on a side opposite to that towards which the profiled body is displaced in the duct, while maintaining the flow of air attached to the surfaces of the shaped body and the duct.
• the present invention relates to the solution of this problem, and its object is the conservation of the advantages of low pressure drop and reduced ventilation noise in an aerator having a short length so that it can be incorporated in practically all the boards of car edge.
• the invention thus has all the aforementioned advantages thanks to the combination of a pivoting movement or rotation of the profiled body to a translation displacement movement of the body in the conduit. More specifically, the invention relates to an air-flow orientation and flow control aerator, of the type which comprises an air flow duct having, between an inlet and an outlet defining a flow direction, at least one section chamber progressively increasing and then progressively decreasing in the direction of flow, a profiled body of which at least the majority is disposed in the chamber of the conduit, the profiled body having an outer surface which, in the direction of circulation, has a section gradually increasing and then decreasing gradually, so that the flow of air flowing in the duct chamber around the profiled body constitutes a peripheral flow which gradually widens and then tapers gradually, and a ring cooperating with the duct and with the profiled member so that it supports the profiled body in the duct allowing a displacement of the profiled body relative to the duct; according to the invention, at least a portion of the inner surface of
• the chamber and the profiled body are practically of revolution.
• the ring has an outer surface shaped like a spherical segment of radius substantially equal to the radius of the spherical segment of the duct, the ring having at least one arm protruding inwardly of the ring and intended for support the profiled body.
• the profiled body has at least one groove intended to cooperate with the arm of the ring so that it slides in a direction having at least one component in the longitudinal direction of the conduit, so that the displacement of the profiled body by relative to the duct has, in addition to at least one degree of freedom in rotation, a degree of freedom in translation.
• the ring has at least three arms.
• the profiled body carries, on the output side, an operating device.
• the conduit and the profiled body have one lip and the other a cooperating groove. substantially sealed manner, at the location where the profiled body is substantially in contact with the conduit.
• the aerator comprises a device for holding the profile body in position in the duct.
• the holding device comprises asperities cooperating with at least one projection resiliently biased towards the ring, the asperities being formed on the ring or the inner surface of the conduit and the projections being formed on the inner surface of the conduit or the ring respectively.
• the holding device comprises elastic tabs protruding outside the ring and formed in one piece with the ring, the resilient tongues cooperating by sliding with the inner surface of the conduit.
• the holding device comprises asperities formed on the inner surface of the duct or on the outer surface of the ring, and having elastically deformable ends cooperating with the outer surface of the ring or the internal surface of the duct. , respectively.
• the ring carries fins each contained in a plane containing the central axis of symmetry of the aerator, the inner end of each fin being able to slide in a slot of the profiled body.
• the profiled body has a central passage for a central flow that is added to the peripheral flow.
• the operating device preferably comprises a gripping member carried by a grid disposed in the central passage at the outlet of the profiled body.
• the aerator takes advantage of the deflection effect of the central flow by the peripheral flow, and it allows orientation not only in one plane, but also bidirectionally, that is to say in a whole. volume.
• the flux obtained can be oriented practically in all directions included in a hemispherical space practically.
• either the profiled body is simply oriented in rotation in the conduit, or it is also moved in the longitudinal direction and thus allows an elaborate modulation of the interaction of the central and peripheral air flows.
• the spherical segment of the duct chamber has a center angle of at least 90 "
• the ring comprises two sliding members each formed of a spherical sector provided with at least one arm cooperating with the body profiled by a cam device, each spherical sector having, at least near the diameter connecting its ends, an angle at the center of at least 90 * , the spherical sectors of the two sliding members having a radius substantially equal to that of the sphere of the spherical segment of the chamber
• the profiled body comprises an actuating member which is integral therewith and intended to allow a user to adjust both the orientation of the profiled body, by rotational solidarity of the spherical sectors in contact with the spherical segment, and closing the outlet opening of the duct by the sliding members, by rotation of the sliding members via the cam devices, so that the displacement of the profiled body relative to the duct has, in addition to at least one degree of freedom in rotation, a degree of freedom in translation.
• This aerator allows independent adjustments on the one hand of the orientation of the air flow and on the other hand of its flow. It avoids the disadvantage of the simultaneous variation of the orientation and the flow rate of known finned aerators in which parallel vanes can be rotated about parallel axes, for the adjustment of the flow angle. air with a central axis, and turned with their support for adjusting the direction of the air flow around this central axis. According to the invention, however, both settings can be obtained by controlling a single actuator.
• the sliding members are exchanged at the edge adjacent to the inlet orifice.
• the aerator comprises a device for holding in position by friction between the spherical sectors and the spherical segment.
• the holding device in position creates a friction force against the inner surface of the conduit applied by the ends of the spherical sectors of the sliding members which tend to move away elastically.
• the holding device comprises asperities formed on the inner surface of the duct or on the outer surface of the sliding members, and having elastically deformable ends cooperating with the external surface of the sliding members or the inner surface of the duct, respectively .
• the actuator has an elongate shape transverse to the axis of the aerator allowing the user not only a displacement for the orientation of the outlet flow and a longitudinal displacement causing the closing or opening of the sliding members, but also the rotation of all the sliding members and the profiled body about a substantially longitudinal axis of the duct.
• the cam devices each comprise a cam groove displaced in translation by the actuating member, and a projection secured to the arm of a sliding member.
• the sliding members carry fins each contained in a plane containing the central axis of symmetry of the aerator, the inner end of each fin being able to slide in a slot of the profiled body.
• a duct having a domed chamber contains a shaped body which can not only be oriented in any direction, but also can be moved in the longitudinal direction and thus allows a precise adjustment of the flow.
• Figure 1 is a half-section of an aerator according to a first embodiment of the invention
• Figure 2 is a transverse half-section of the profiled body of the aerator of Figure 1
• Figure 3 is a half-section similar to Figure 1, showing an alternative device for holding the shaped body in position
• Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion of the ring of the embodiment of Fig.
• Figure 5 is a half-section of a variant of the aerator of Figure 1, provided with a sealing lip;
• Figure 6 is similar to Figure 1, but shows the profile body and the ring after a rotation relative to the conduit;
• Figure 7 is an end view of a ring portion of Figure 4, alternatively;
• Figure 8 is a partial section of a ring and a conduit in a second variant of a device for holding the profiled body in position;
• Figure 9 is an elevational view of the ring in the second variant of the device for holding the profiled body in position;
• Figures 10 and 11 are sections of a ring and a conduit in a third variant of the device for holding the profiled body in position;
• Figure 12 is a section of an aerator according to a second embodiment of the invention;
• Figure 13 is a half front elevational view of the aerator of Figure 12;
• Figure 14 is a section similar to Figure 12, showing an alternative device for holding the shaped body in position;
• Figure 15 is an enlarged view of a portion of the ring of the embodiment of Fig. 14;
• Figure 16 is similar to Figure 12, but shows a winged variant, with the inclined profile body;
• Figure 17 is a schematic section, the lower portion is a half-section of an aerator according to a third embodiment of the invention in the open position, and the upper portion is shown in the closed position;
• Figure 18 is a cross-sectional view showing the relative disposition of the various elements of the aerator of Figure 17;
• Figure 19 is a schematic section of the aerator of Figure 17, when the shaped body has rotated relative to the conduit;
• Figs. 20 and 21 are cross-sectional and longitudinal cross sections of a conduit and sliding members, respectively, in a variant of the invention.
• Figure 1 is a half-cross section of an aerator according to a first embodiment of the invention.
• the aerator includes a conduit 10 which forms a chamber between an inlet opening 12 and an outlet opening 14.
• the inner surface 16 of a conduit portion 10 has a spherical segment shape.
• a profiled body 18 Inside the duct chamber, a profiled body 18 has longitudinal slots 20 between its rounded inlet portion 22 and an actuator 24 formed at its outlet end.
• the ring 26 comprises at least one arm 28, preferably three protruding inwardly into a slot 20 of the profiled body and ending in a groove 30 of the profiled body 18.
• This groove shown elongated in the longitudinal direction, but which may also have a different orientation, for example helical, is an improvement of the fundamental device comprises simply arms 28 secured to the profiled body 18 which then does not include the slots 20.
• the profiled body 18 can simply rotate around the center of the ball formed by the sphere segments of the conduit 10 and the ring 26.
• the profiled body 18 can also move longitudinally by sliding the ends of the arms 28 in the grooves 30. It thus modulates the shape of the passage of the air flow between itself and the wall of the duct, and thus the flow. It is thus practically possible for a portion of the profiled body 18 to be very close to the wall of the duct 10, so that most of the flow concentrates essentially at a single location of the periphery. The body 18 then has a significant deflector effect, in addition to its flow control function.
• a device having preferably three arms 28 has been described, but the number of arms can be arbitrary.
• the end of the arm can simply pass through a slot 20 to a groove such as 30, or may comprise lateral projections making the profiled body 18 integral with the ring 28, the groove then having the shape indicated on the
• the ring may be provided with fins, as described hereinafter with reference to FIGS. 4 and 7.
• FIG. 6 represents the relative disposition of the duct 10 and of the profiled body 18 when the latter, moved by the operating member 24, occupies a position in which it has rotated with the ring 26 with respect to the duct 10. It should be noted that at the outlet 14, there is only a reduced passage between the body 18 and the conduit 10, so that most of the current of the aerator passes to the lower part and is deflected upwards, c that is to say on the side towards which the operating member 24 is moved.
• the profiled body 18 is held by the ring on the duct by means of a mechanism for creating a holding force in position which comprises a cavity 32 formed in the duct for housing the housing.
• an elastic member 34 for example a strip, having at least one projection 36 which can come to cooperate resiliently with the surface of the ring 38.
• This is connected to the profiled body 18 by arms 40.
• the outer surface of the ring 38 has asperities 42, and, when the profiled member has been moved to the desired position, at least one protrusion 36 is maintained between two adjacent asperities 42.
• This holding mechanism in position can obviously be different.
• the ring may be discontinuous at its periphery, the discontinuities comprising any elastic return devices allowing the creation of a force of application of the ring against the spherical surface of the conduit.
• the ring 58 carries elastic tongues 52 protruding outside the ring 58. They are formed in one piece with the ring 58, during molding thereof with its arms 50. The outer faces of the tongues 52 are intended to slide against the inner surface of the duct 54. It is thus possible to adjust the contact force between the ring and the duct to the desired value by determining the dimensions of the tongues 52.
• the holding device comprises asperities 62, for example having a V-shaped section, formed on the inner surface of the conduit 60 and having elastically deformable ends applied against the outer surface of the ring 56.
• these asperities 62 have been represented in the form of lines along generatrices of the duct, they may have any desired shape as long as they give sufficient centering forces of the prof body. hey in the conduit. The position asperities can be reversed, that is to say they can be on the outer surface of the ring, the inner surface of the conduit being smooth.
• FIGS. 4 and 7 show a variant which increases the orientation of the current, when the profiled body is inclined with respect to the duct, for example in a position similar to that of FIG. 6.
• FIG. 7 is an end view of part of the ring 38 of FIGS. 3 and 4, and it will be noted that the inner face of the ring is integral with a fin 46. This is contained in a plane containing the central axis of symmetry of the aerator. The inner end of the fin 46 can slide in a slot 48 of the profiled body.
• the ring carries several fins, six for example. These fins have the role of reinforcing the orientation of the current in the longitudinal direction of the shaped body, so that, for example in the case of Figure 6, the current flowing through the widest section defined between the duct
• the profiled body 18 can be pushed inwardly of the duct 10 by sliding the grooves 30 on the T-ends 31 of the arms 28. can then take a position in which its input surface 22 comes into contact with the inner surface of the duct 10, around the inlet opening 12. In this position, the flow is virtually interrupted. However, when this closure does not give the expected seal,
• a lip 44 formed on the outer surface of the profiled body 18 is housed in a groove 46 of the inner surface of the conduit 10 when the body 18 has been pushed into the closed position.
• the invention relates to an aerator allowing an orientation of an air flow, while allowing the adjustment of the flow rate of the air flow and, in particular, ensuring a tight closure, and therefore the silence, of the aerator .
• Figure 12 is a half-cross section of an aerator according to this second embodiment.
• the aerator includes a conduit 110 which forms a chamber between an inlet opening 112 and an outlet opening 114.
• the inner surface 16 of a conduit portion 110 has a spherical segment shape, corresponding to an angle at the center of the inside of the duct, a profiled body 118 delimits a central passage 120 whose outlet opening carries a gate 122 provided at its center with a control member 124. .
• a ring 126 whose outer surface constitutes a spherical segment of the same radius as the spherical segment of the inner surface 116 of the conduit 110, can slide against this inner surface 116.
• the ring 126 comprises at least one arm 128, preferably three protruding inwards and ending in a groove 130 of the profiled body 118.
• This groove shown elongate in the longitudinal direction but which may also have a different orientation, for example helical, is an improvement of the device which simply comprises arms 128 integral with the shaped body 118.
• the profiled body 118 can simply rotate about the center of the ball formed by the sphere segments of the conduit 110 and the ring 126, taking a position as shown in FIG.
• the profiled body 118 can moreover move longitudinally and thus modulate the shape of the passage of the air flow between itself and the wall of the duct. It is thus practically possible for a portion of the profiled body 118 to be very close to the wall of the duct 110, so that most of the peripheral flow concentrates essentially at a single location of the periphery. It then has a significant deflector effect on the flow flowing in the central passage 120.
• a device preferably having three arms 128, but the number of arms can be any.
• the end of the arm can simply pass through a groove such as 130, or may have lateral projections making the profiled body 118 integral with the ring 128.
• the ring 126 carries fins 144 each contained in a plane containing the central axis of symmetry of the aerator.
• the inner end of each fin 144 can slide in a slot 146 of the profiled body 118.
• These fins are disposed between the arms 140.
• the aerator may for example comprise two arms and four fins, or three arms and three or six fins, other numbers are obviously possible.
• the role of the fins is to regulate the flow of air so that it follows the generatrices of the profiled body 118. In this way, the air flow formed between the duct 110 and the profiled body 118 is guided optimally and gives an optimum orientation of the air stream at the outlet in the direction in which the profiled body is inclined by the operating member 124.
• FIG. 12 maintaining the profiled body in position with the desired orientation is simply ensured by the friction of the ring 126 against the pipe 110. It may be necessary to incorporate a more effective device for maintaining in position .
• Figures 14 and 15 show such a device. This device of Figures 14 and 15 is similar to that described for the aerator of the first embodiment, and the analogous elements have the same numerical references, preceded by a "1" for the number of hundreds.
• the ring may be discontinuous at its periphery, the discontinuities including any means of elastic return allowing the creation of a force of application of the ring against the spherical surface of the conduit.
• the reference 210 denotes a duct which forms a chamber between an inlet end 212 and an outlet end 214. Between the inlet and the outlet, the chamber delimits an internal surface 216, part of which is in segment spherical.
• the central angle (determined center 218) of the spherical segment of the inner surface 216 is at least equal to 90 ".
• a molded body 220 is mounted within the duct 210. It has an arm 222 which protrudes from the The arm 222 comprises, on the outlet side, an actuating member 224 and, inside the profiled body 220, a cam 226 having a guide groove 228.
• Each sliding member 230 has at least one arm 232 which carries, at its inner end, a cam projection 234 intended to move in the groove 228 of the cam.
• the user has the faculty of opening and closing the outlet opening by the sliding members 230 which form a shutter. However, in all positions, including the intermediate positions, it also has the ability to move the operating member 224 parallel to the outlet opening 214 of the conduit 210 thereby changing the orientation of the exhaust air flow.
• This arrangement is shown in Figure 19 in which the profiled body 220 has rotated about 25 " relative to the conduit 210. Note in the upper part of Figure 19, a portion 231 of the slider member 230 protrudes at the exit 214 of the conduit 210 and thus participates in the deflection of the air flow upwards.
• the operating member 224 when the operating member 224 is a transversely elongate member, the user can rotate it about the longitudinal axis of the duct and thus slide the members 230 inside. spherical duct, integrally around the longitudinal axis of the duct.
• the sliding members Although it has represented the sliding members as spherical areas of at least 90 *, this property is only required on part of the sectors, provided that the areas still cover a circle passing through the center of rotation.
• the edge of the sliding members 230 can be notched on the side of the inlet opening 212, as long as the profiled body is still maintained by the two sliding members 230 within the spherical segment of the duct 210.
• the holding device comprises as Cyprustes 246 formed on the inner surface of the duct 244 and having elastically deformable ends cooperating with the external surface of the sliding members 242.
• the arrangement can be reversed, the asperities being formed on the sliding members and being applied against the inner surface of the conduit.
• these asperities 246 have been represented in the form of lines along generatrices of the duct, they may have any desired shape as long as they give sufficient centering forces of the profiled body in the conduit.
• the 18 shows a fin 236, integral with the sliding member 230, which is contained in a plane containing the central axis 240 of symmetry of the aerator.
• the inner end of the vane 236 can slide in a slot 238 of body section 220.
• the vanes advantageously have a length corresponding to an angle of at least 60 ° at the center of the aerator.
• the sliding members 230 each carry three fins 236. It has been found experimentally that these fins increase the directivity of the air flow formed by the aerator, when the profiled body 220 is moved with the aid of the actuating member 224. All the elements of the aerators according to the invention can be formed simply, in particular by plastic injection operations, and the mechanisms used are robust and inexpensive.
• the aerator according to the invention is very effective because its operation by the user is very simple and intuitive, the user closing the aerator by simply pushing and adjusting the direction by moving the actuating member on the side towards which he wants to direct the flow.
• the air flow is guided between progressive curvature surfaces of the body which is profiled and the chamber which opens out the outlet of the aerator. This flux attaches to these surfaces, following the effect known as the "Coanda effect", so that it presents only a small loss of charge and creates little noise.
• the orientation adjustment and the flow control are independently provided with a single actuator.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Thermal Sciences (AREA)
• Air-Flow Control Members (AREA)
• Air-Conditioning For Vehicles (AREA)

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• 2006
  • 2006-05-24 EP EP06764679A patent/EP1886072A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2006-05-24 WO PCT/FR2006/001187 patent/WO2006125915A1/fr not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2006-05-24 US US11/920,731 patent/US8951102B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2006-05-24 JP JP2008512876A patent/JP5247435B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related

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